Rescue - Version 2

A neat example of another version of the rescue strategy was used today in our department and it works like a charm for Allen Level 4 patients.  The patient entered the therapy gym and had to wait for the therapist (who was finishing her note she was working on in an adjacent office).  When the therapist approached the patient (after a 10 minutes wait - the rehab tech had been entertaining her while she waited), the patient became angry and tried to hit the therapist.  What happened here?  A normally compliant patient became angry over something so trivial.  But this is an Allen Level 4 patient... a patient who has the cognitive level that wants to be the #1 priority regardless of your schedule.  If they find out you're going to treat another patient before him/her then they will stop cooperating with you because they sense that they are no longer your #1 priority.  So when this therapist asked me what she should do... I advised her to go to the patient (who was back in her room) and tell her "I just found out how long you were waiting for me in the therapy gym and I am so sorry... my staff knows how important you are and they are supposed to alert me the minute you enter the gym... again I apologize for your wait".  The therapist returned to the gym with the patient after having used this approach and the patient completed all therapy minutes.   I thought - what a great example of another version of the rescue strategy so thought I'd share it with you today.